Plasma Sterilizer: How to Choose the Right Low-Temperature Sterilizer

Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer Catalog

Healthcare professionals have the responsibility of using sterile equipment in order to prevent the spread of infections. This is why medical low-temperature plasma sterilizers are essential devices that hospitals and clinics must not have in short supply in their day-to-day operations.

This post examines what a low-temperature plasma sterilizer is, how it differs from other sterilization means, and what to consider before purchasing one.

What is a Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer?

A low-temperature plasma sterilizer is a sterilizer that uses liquid hydrogen peroxide to disinfect objects. The liquid is heated in a vaporizer to convert it into gas. The hydrogen peroxide gas is then raised to a higher temperature, at which point it transforms into plasma, the fourth state of matter.

Plasma sterilizers are used to sterilize heat and/or moisture-sensitive devices that may be damaged by the conditions of a steam sterilization cycle. It is an effective means to process heat and moisture-sensitive surgical instrumentation, implants, and general equipment.

Other names for low-temperature plasma sterilizers are Plasma sterilizers, Gas plasma sterilizers, Hydrogen-Peroxide plasma sterilizers, etc.

What Is The Difference Between an Autoclave Sterilizer and a Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer?

Low-temperature plasma sterilizers and autoclaves are both used in sterilizing hospital equipment.

They however differ in the sense that an autoclave is a type of pressure cooker which uses pressurized steam to kill microorganisms. An autoclave sterilizer cannot be used on heat-sensitive or moisture-sensitive materials such as an endoscope. Whereas low-temperature plasma sterilizers can sterilize these items safely and reliably.

Low-temperature sterilization is a type of sterilization that's ideal for heat-sensitive gadgets that may be damaged by the temperatures of a steam sterilization cycle. Hydrogen peroxide sterilization, also known as hydrogen peroxide gas sterilization, involves turning the sterilizer chamber into a vacuum and filling it with H2O2 vapor. Once the sterilization cycle is complete, the vapor is vacuumed from the chamber and converted to water and oxygen.

What is the Difference Between Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Sterilizer and Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer?

EtO sterilization is another low-temperature technique that uses ethylene oxide gas to reduce infectious particles. EtO is generally used in gas form, combined with CO2 or steam, and has exceptional penetration abilities.

EtO gas sterilization has several advantages, including the lack of harm to instruments from excessive heat, moisture, or radiation. It however requires extended aeration times and is mutagenic, carcinogenic, irritating to the eye, skin, and respiratory system; it can also induce neurological problems, liver and kidney damage.

Plasma sterilizers differ from EtO sterilizers because the former works by oxidation. The plasma has a chemical reaction in which all microorganisms are destroyed. The heat generated by the high temperature causes the hydrogen-peroxide molecules to become free radicals, which are highly volatile. They get attached to the organisms in the load and destroy them effectively. Plasma sterilization cause no harm to the environment since hydrogen peroxide leaves only non-toxic components (oxygen and water) after sterilization

Parts of a Typical Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer

A typical low-temperature plasma sterilizer consists of a sterilization chamber, an agent evaporator, a vacuum pump, a high-frequency generator, a container with a sterilizing agent, a pump of a sterilizing agent, a measuring cup, valves, chamber walls, and a concentration equalization slit.

Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer Uses/Application

Low-temperature sterilizers are employed for non-hollow instruments such as thermometers, dopplers, ophthalmic lenses, defibrillator paddles, electrocautery instruments, harmonic cables, and laser probes.

Low-temperature sterilizers are also used for hollow loads such as shaver handpieces, fiber optic light cables, laryngoscopes and their blades, and surgical power drills. Lastly, low-temperature sterilizers are used for endoscopes such as rigid and flexible endoscopes.

What to Look For When Buying a Low-Temperature Sterilizer

When looking to purchase a sterilizer, you should take note of the following:

Purposed Loads

The items to be sterilized play a key role in determining whether to purchase a plasma sterilizer or not. Hydrogen-Peroxide plasma sterilizers are not ideal for sterilizing loads composed of liquids, oils, powders, biological tissues, paper, cotton, and linen.

If however, you intend sterilizing loads made up of plastics, electrical devices, and corrosion-susceptible metal alloys, then hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilizer is your best bet. This method has been compatible with most(>95%) medical devices and materials tested of this nature.

Room Size

The size of the room in which you'll be using the plasma sterilizer is also an important consideration. The larger the room, the bigger the sterilizer can be, and vice versa. The plasma sterilizer may take benchtop or floor space.

Taking the work surface the hospital staff will be working on into consideration, you can select a benchtop sterilizer which is often generally compact because it must be able to fit on a work surface.

You may also pick a floor-standing plasma sterilizer, which takes up more room and need additional floor space provided you have the space for it.

Chamber Size

The volume of load the sterilizer can contain is a critical part of what you should consider. If you would constantly need to sterilize a huge amount of load, then you should go for a sterilizer that has a large chamber size. If not, then you can go for a smaller one.

Generally, sterilizers with bigger capacities often take longer to complete a sterilization cycle.

Temperature

You should check out the maximum temperature the plasma sterilizer can attain. This is because excessive heat can damage some medical equipment which is one of the reasons why plasma sterilizers are used in the first place.

You should avoid sterilizers that go above 60 degrees Celsius in order to prevent heat and moisture damage to sophisticated medical instruments, and prolongs their life expectancies.

Accessories

There are a number of accessories that you should look out for when buying the plasma sterilizer. These include mist traps, hydrogen peroxide cartridges, packaging accessories (envelopes, rolls, sheets, labels), biological indicators and incubators, hydrogen peroxide cassettes, printer paper, chemical indicators, etc.

Some plasma sterilizers come with useful accessories such as wheels for easy transportation from one place to the other.

Sterilization Time

You should consider how long it takes for your sterilizer to complete a cycle. The sterilization time should be less than an hour, with the average cycle being 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of the sterilizer, and the size and contents of the load.

Safety

When looking for a plasma sterilizer, it is important to consider the safety features that the unit has. Some of the key safety features to look for include: no hazardous or odorous emissions, low temperature, and low pressure during sterilization. It's also best to choose a machine with an effective door locking mechanism that prevents accidental opening during sterilization.

Ease of Use

The plasma sterilizer should be easy to use because it is important for the safety of both the user and the load being sterilized. If the user has to fumble with complicated controls or settings, it could lead to an accident. Additionally, if a sterilizer is difficult to operate, it could lengthen the time it takes to complete a cycle, which could be dangerous for instruments that need to be kept sterile.

Purchasing a plasma sterilizer with an intuitive color touchscreen is often ideal as the user won't have to fumble around with strange knobs and buttons.

Budget

Concerns about cost are universal when it comes to plasma sterilizers. However, if you do your homework and establish clear priorities between various features for your device, you can find a solution that meets your demands while staying within your budget.

Choosing a quality plasma sterilizer that is also cost-effective should be the top priority for a leading hospital laboratory manager and decision-maker.

Maintenance costs are just as important as the up-front expenses. A plasma sterilizer that must be maintained by a specialist and has a high long-term cost takes away money from your overall healthcare budget that can be spent on other medical equipment.

You should think about not only the upfront price of a plasma sterilizer but also the long-term upkeep costs that might save you money or haunt you for years.

Warranty

A warranty is always good to have in case something goes wrong with your device. The length of the warranty can vary, but it's important that the plasma sterilizer you choose has some kind of warranty so you can repair or replace it if something goes wrong.

Brands

When buying low-temperature plasma sterilizers, you should go for brands that are reputable and that have the necessary safety and production certificates. Some of the biggest manufacturers of low-temperature plasma sterilizers are Tuttnauer, Vitrosteril, Sterrad, STERIS V-PRO, etc.

You should ensure that your low-temperature plasma sterilizer has necessary certificates such as CE, ISO, FDA, GMP certificates, or any certificate issued by a competent authority in your locale.

This is to verify that the machine has been produced according to international standards.

Payment Options

After making the decision to purchase a low-temperature plasma sterilizer, you should consider whether the supplier has a wide range of payment options that are capable of meeting your needs.

You would do well to verify that the supplier can receive payments from the payment channels available to you such as MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, etc.

If need be, you should also consider whether they have a financing option in place to help you find financial collaborators who can assist in purchasing your low-temperature plasma sterilizers

Medwish.com is a supplier which has exactly that, as we accept payment from various channels and also offer both product financing and hospital project financing options to enable you to purchase low-temperature plasma sterilizers and other medical equipment in a manner that is suitable for your hospital needs.

Medical Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer Price guide

The prices of plasma sterilizers vary and are majorly dependent on the brand and the features present in the machine.

Some of the models of different brands as well as their prices are as follows:

• The Steris V-Pro 60 Low-temperature Sterilizer of which a used unit may cost around 23, 000 USDs.
• The SQ-D-100 H2O2 Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer costs about 22,000 USD.
• The STERRAD ASP 50 Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Plasma Sterilizer costs about 48, 000 USDs.
• The SQ-D2-100 H2O2 Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizer costs about 24,000 USD

Where to Buy Low-Temperature Plasma Sterilizers in Bulk With Wholesale Pricing

Medwish.com is a fantastic B2B platform to order low-temperature plasma sterilizers in bulk for your hospital.

Buying in bulk provides clients and healthcare organizations with the benefit of less stress since the MEDWISH.com team collaborates with top service providers in several sectors, such as logistics, customs clearance, and so on to assist customers and healthcare organizations to receive high-quality goods on time.

Wholesale Price Advantage on Medwish.com

Buying low-temperature plasma sterilizers in bulk from Medwish.com is less expensive than buying them individually. It also helps to develop a close business connection.

Finally, purchasing low-temperature plasma sterilizers from Medwish.com allows you to receive more healthcare amenities for your hospital or health center while also saving money without sacrificing quality and safety.

Medwish.com also offers product financing and hospital project financing options to help secure financial collaborations and help you get the best low-temperature plasma sterilizers with ease.

Final Words

Low-temperature plasma sterilizers are important medical equipment in any hospital. It is, therefore, important that you purchase one from a supplier who has a wide range of payment options as well as a financing option such as Medwish.com.

Now you can be assured of receiving premium sterilizers that would ensure that your laboratory loads are sterilized under the best conditions leading to the best results.